Best Buy — Local services in Phoenix

Best Buy: A Rare Standout in Modern Customer Service

In a corporate landscape increasingly defined by poor accountability, weak management, inadequate training, and employee apathy, Best Buy sets itself apart. Their customer service is top-notch — a refreshing exception in a world where many companies pass the buck and treat customers like inconveniences rather than priorities.

What makes Best Buy different is clear: they recruit and train their employees exceptionally well. It’s obvious their staff are not only taught how to assist, but how to advocate for the customer — a subtle but crucial distinction. There’s a major difference between simply “serving” a customer and actively working to support and prioritize that customer’s needs. Best Buy employees consistently do the latter.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate that word: advocate. At too many retailers, customer service representatives rigidly enforce policy with robotic detachment, or worse, ego-driven righteousness — delivering responses more suited to a traffic stop than a customer experience. Denying reasonable requests, even when policy allows for discretion, often becomes a badge of pride for those more concerned with control than care.

Not at Best Buy.

While their staff operate within company policies, it never feels that way. When I’ve needed to return or exchange an item, I’ve always been treated with respect and reason — never like a criminal, which unfortunately is all too common elsewhere. Reasonable exceptions have been made that 1) make common sense, and 2) present no undue burden or loss to the company. These positive experiences not only resolve the immediate issue but build long-term loyalty. I return to Best Buy not just for their products, but because of how I’m treated — like a valued customer whose time and money matter.

It’s clear that Best Buy emphasizes hiring people with emotional intelligence and then empowers them with the training to treat customers like individuals, not policy violations. And it works.

This is my way of saying: your effort does not go unnoticed. To Best Buy and your incredible associates, thank you. I’m sure there are thousands of other customers who feel the same — I just happen to be the one saying it out loud.

Keep up the...

We spent over $15,000 on all new appliances and electronics from Store # 253 (located at 1949 E Camelback Rd #101, Phoenix, AZ 85016). Aside from them selling us several products that were incompatible with the hookups we told them we have, and doing nothing to resolve this, our new Kitchen Aid refrigerator randomly stopped working about 2 weeks ago (right after we purchased over $500 worth of groceries). The unit stopped cooling itself. We reached out to Best Buy right away and the soonest they could get someone out was about a week from then. When their people showed up, they immediately told us they couldn't do any work on a "built-in" refrigerator, which is exactly what they knew we had purchased in the first place. They told us we would have to go through the manufacturer. Again, this product is only 6 months old. So we reached out to the manufacturer and the soonest they could get someone out to us was over a week from that date. They also told us that in order for it to be covered under the warranty that we will need the serial number. Best Buy did not include the serial number in the correct spot on the refrigerator, not on ANY of their paperwork or in any of their digital files. Therefore, it is only located on the back of the fridge, which will take experts to take the entire fridge apart from our cabinets and pull it out. Best Buy is telling us the soonest they can have someone here to pull the fridge out and get the serial number is over a week from now, and that isn't even to repair anything, but just to get the serial number. They claim this is the ABSOLUTE BEST they can do to help us. This is absurd. Another terrible rep there is named David. We just purchased a brand new, high-end fridge, and will be over 1.5 months before anyone will help us get it working again. This is not acceptable. We demand repair IMMEDIATELY and want money back. $600 at minimum...

Horrible experience. After months of waiting, we decided to buy a new high end TV for the Super Bowl. We took it home and then had a professional come over to help us wall mount it. Upon removing the TV from the box, the technician who came to help noted that it looked like there might be a crack in the TV. We decided to wall mount it anyways, hoping it wouldn't be noticeable once the TV was on, but after hours of troubleshooting, the TV wouldn't turn on. My wife and I were disappointed to say the least.

Today when my wife went to return the TV they refused to accept it, citing the crack and saying that we had caused it. As evidence? That there was a hand smudge on the TV. First off - I have born witness to many screens getting hand or finger prints on them over the years and none of those led to cracks appearing that made said device inoperable. Second of all - it's b.s. We were extremely careful with the TV throughout the transport and mounting process.

At the end of the day, they sold us a lemon. Which apparently isn't all that uncommon with the TV we bought (a Sony Bravia). But regardless they refused to take back the TV or issue a refund despite their clear return policy. They kept telling my wife it was our fault, and when she mentioned the fact that we've spent tens-of-thousands of dollars at Best Buy over the years, they went through the computer and, I guess, cited that I hadn't spent a ton with them recently - as if that was actually some factor in their decision.

Needless to say, won't be back to this Best Buy or go to any other Best Buy in the future, which is a shame because we've always loved going as a family. I'll also be charging back the purchase because there's no way I'm getting ripped off by Best Buy. I hope the shortsightedness of their management was worth losing a previously loyal...